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How does Jim Thomas (Mermen) get this sound?
Joined: Oct 13, 2011 Posts: 251 Byron Bay, Australia 
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Posted on Aug 29 2017 03:46 PM
I really like the Mermen and Jim Thomas's style of playing. On this YouTube video he gets an amazing tremolo/divebomb effect. I thinking maybe tremolo (with variable speed)/reverb/distortion. If anyone knows how to get this sound would like to hear about it Comes up at 5.45 and 7.00 in the video —'Surf Music Lasts Forever' Last edited: Aug 29, 2017 15:50:04 |
Joined: Jul 26, 2015 Posts: 260 San Diego, Ca 
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Posted on Aug 29 2017 04:41 PM
I saw him back in the 90s, and I thought he was using Ampeg amps, and a ton of rackmount gear.. (I could be wrong about the Ampeg.) I also read an older interview in which be said be used multiple Fender Showman amps. Perhapaps some of his Bay Area bretheren would be a bit more familiar with his rigs, past or present. —-Cheers, Clark- -Less Paul, more Reverb- Last edited: Aug 29, 2017 16:52:42 |
Joined: Sep 09, 2008 Posts: 3158 Guildford England 
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Posted on Aug 29 2017 05:03 PM
I'm almost certain he uses one or two volume pedals to blend in and out of dual systems. The tremolo sound is (correct me if I'm wrong) on/off gating? |
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Joined: Jul 26, 2015 Posts: 260 San Diego, Ca
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Posted on Aug 29 2017 07:41 PM
My apologies, Wombat. I didn't see that your post asked about a specific sound in a specific song. (... And that's what I get for trying to follow up on a thread, while viewing it on a Smartphone.) If you Google 'Jim Thomas Mermen Guitar Rig', several items will pop up. Click on on the interview he did with Guitar Nine magazine. He talks at length about all kinds of things, including his gear. During the portion of the clip you referred to, his foot is rocking something, quite possibly a volume pedal or two, as Crumble suggested. I get the impression that whatever he uses, he will use multiples of that piece of gear. Multiple amps, volume pedals, reverbs, delays, tremolos. It's an elaborate rig, to be sure. —-Cheers, Clark- -Less Paul, more Reverb- Last edited: Aug 29, 2017 19:43:02 |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 10331 southern Michigan 
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Posted on Aug 29 2017 07:50 PM
I think Clark and crumble already answered some of it. I believe Jim uses one of the Boss tremolo pedals, I seem to remember it's the '90s green one (PN-2 or something), the shoegaze music staple. It's capable of a really extreme tremolo effect, almost like a gate-type thing, complete on/off. (I used to have a couple back in the day, when I was in a shoegaze band.) It looks to me that at one point he reaches down and manually changes the speed on the pedal. The 'divebomb' effect is from his vibrato/tremolo arm, which he's constantly manipulating but at a few points he depresses it to lower the pitch by a full step or so and keeps it there for a while, then releasing it up slowly. Hope that helps. —Ivan |
Joined: Apr 25, 2006 Posts: 84 SLC, UT 
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Posted on Aug 29 2017 08:40 PM
Ivan probably has this particular tune's setup correct. I might add that Jim Thomas does many different things with guitars and effects. I've seen him perform with three guitar cables (one for each pickup) going to different effect/amp setups. His effect setups can be quite complex as well. This page has photos of a couple of them. http://www.revwillis.com/SiteHTML/Pedalboards.html Every time I see him play, his setup is different. He did work in a music store way back when and has a wall of preamps in his studio. A very involved equipment guy. Rev. — |
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Joined: Oct 13, 2011 Posts: 251 Byron Bay, Australia
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Posted on Aug 30 2017 03:45 PM
Thanks for all the suggestions. The more I listen the more I think is I better start practicing . . . . . . —'Surf Music Lasts Forever' |
Joined: Oct 24, 2015 Posts: 22
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Posted on Sep 03 2017 08:19 AM
http://www.revwillis.com/SiteHTML/Pedalboards.html Have a look at some of his gear through the years here. |
Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 5097 San Francisco
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Posted on Sep 03 2017 10:58 AM
Here's Jim's rig as of March 2017 Buy Speed of Dark @ Bandcamp |
Joined: Apr 24, 2011 Posts: 1087 Surf City, NC
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Posted on Sep 03 2017 11:05 AM
Wowza!! |
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Joined: Oct 13, 2011 Posts: 251 Byron Bay, Australia
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Posted on Sep 03 2017 05:49 PM
What a rig! Sonic architect! I can recognize about 1/3 of the gear, that must be why such a complex and wonderful sound —'Surf Music Lasts Forever' |
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 Posts: 191 San Jose, CA
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Posted on Sep 03 2017 06:01 PM
Wombat wrote:
Have you tried sending an email to Jim directly asking him how he he got that sound? His contact information is listed on the Mermen's website, http://mermen.net -Darren |
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Joined: Oct 13, 2011 Posts: 251 Byron Bay, Australia
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Posted on Oct 05 2017 02:46 PM
I emailed Jim and he got back tome, he seems like a good guy "Hi Stephen, 'Surf Music Lasts Forever' |
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Joined: Nov 05, 2017 Posts: 4 |
Posted on Nov 05 2017 09:05 AM
I've just gotten into the Mermen pretty heavily in the past few years. Wish I'd started sooner! Jim does use a Boss green trem and a Strymon Flint from time to time. In the clip shown it's pretty clear that he reached down to slow down the trem rate. I do effects design as a sideline and have talked to him about his effects a few times. The first time I brought it up, he said "I don't really use many effects" which made me laugh, given his pedalboard. But the truth is, he hits the trem about 3 or 4 times a night for a bit of a trippy interlude. No chorus, flangers, wah-wah, etc. His biggest involvement with "effects" live is working the reverb return level with a volume pedal while he plays. He also uses a looper, usually as a spacey set intro but also sometimes to set up a spontaneous jam that the band joins along with. I'd say the rig he is using currently is quite stripped down from what people imagine. Even compared to 4 years ago (when I first saw the Mermen play) he is no longer using a rack setup that I can tell. He has 3 Victoria amps. Just guessing but I think 1 is set for pure clean, another one with a bit more grind, and a small one for his "Neil Young" lead tone. |
Joined: Dec 24, 2015 Posts: 455 México 
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Posted on Nov 05 2017 09:11 AM
Amazing — My latest LP Unknown Creatures by Otitis Media Records is available now on all digital platforms and colored vinyl. Listen and buy here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/sysmalakian/unknown-creatures |
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Joined: Nov 05, 2017 Posts: 4 |
Posted on Nov 05 2017 09:14 AM
PolloGuitar wrote:
Just saw them Tuesday at the same venue. Loads of fun. I love how he goes from clean, unthreatening, even corny stuff right into sections that sound more like Hendrix or Neil Young with Crazy Horse. |
Joined: Jul 23, 2014 Posts: 637 LA -ish
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Posted on Nov 05 2017 09:53 AM
Jim is like sunsets. Usually awesome, always different, and forever chasing the next day. —mj
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Joined: Nov 12, 2020 Posts: 2 |
Posted on Nov 12 2020 08:20 PM
I have one of Jim's old Red Knob Dual Showman heads here. Pretty neat amp. It had some mods done to it, but I think these were the core of his live sound for a while until the newer albums came out. For the tremolo I think he was using a couple of Boss TR-2 Tremolos. Most of his effects were mixed in the FX loop of his 3 Dual Showman amps using a Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro mixer. He's got a whole different setup today though. Here's a picture and a gut shot inside one of the amps.
Last edited: Nov 12, 2020 20:22:02 |
Joined: May 01, 2006 Posts: 104 Santa Monica
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Posted on Dec 09 2020 07:49 PM
What always entertained me is/was how Jim takes license to constantly explore with the gear. I like MontereyJack66's comment the most - true surfer style! I remember watching many shows ... uh ... many years ago and as Digital Larry points out, one of the most striking things was when he'd manage the reverb level. This would really be super effective when he'd pull it out of the equation to intensify a moment. I found this approach exciting and use it myself now and then with Jim being a source of inspiration. It was weird though, for me as a listener, when a song I knew from the recording would be performed much drier live. I will always be a Jim Thomas and Mermen fan and appreciate how they truly were part of the SF surf community not to mention Jim actually surfs or at least did. Pollo - thanks for posting the photo! —Par Avion Spotify Last edited: Dec 09, 2020 19:50:21 |
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Joined: Nov 12, 2020 Posts: 2 |
Posted on Aug 01 2021 10:59 PM
Here's one of Jim's latest strat builds you can see him playing live these days. It's a roasted maple Warmoth super wide neck with a swamp ash body.
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